Senator FIFIELD (Victoria—Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Assistant Minister for Social Services) (15:40): I seek leave to make a five-minute statement. The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for five minutes. Senator FIFIELD: I must contend with one statement by Senator Wong and take her to task for it, and that is the inference that Senator Faulkner has been in this place since Federation. I think that is an adverse reflection on Senator Faulkner. I know he has been here for quite a while, but he has not been here quite that long. I must also say—this might surprise you—that I very much prefer the Senator Wong of today to the Senator Wong of last night. Last night, Senator Wong was the author of an ambush in this place. As I mentioned last night, when that occurred there was a leaders, managers and whips meeting taking place. I thought it was poor form and I expressed that strongly. I did think it was poor form to use that meeting as a cover. I also thought it was poor form that the agreement in relation to the rearrangement that we had had reached with Labor and the Greens did not come to pass. I think it is important that we be able to rely on each other's word in this place. I also find it a little odd that Senator Wong is complaining that there were three meetings in relation to Senate business. Sometimes you just cannot win: either there is not enough consultation and then there is too much consultation. I would have thought it was a good thing that we have those meetings, to seek to work cooperatively to determine those things that we can agree upon and the processes that we might follow in this place. Senator Wong also makes reference to the supposed failure to manage this place properly. Can I say that it is pretty darn hard on occasion when you have a stunt like that of Senator Conroy yesterday, where he seeks to break an agreement, which had been reached between the government and the opposition, to bring on certain relatively non-contentious bills. I might say that Senator Carr was actually urging me earlier in the week to bring on some of those non-contentious bills. I was just trying to give effect to the will of Senator Carr— Senator Kim Carr: That is right, and didn't you make a mess of it! The PRESIDENT: Order on my left! Senator FIFIELD: but that will not happen again. Senator FIFIELD: Senator Conroy thwarted Senator Carr's best endeavours by bringing the omnibus repeal bill and the stunt of moving amendments, which were completely unrelated to the bill. What happened last night was completely beyond the control of the government. I think that comes to the main point which is that— Senator Wong: You broke your word. Senator FIFIELD: We did not break our word. Senator WONG: Twelve submarines in Adelaide— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator FIFIELD: It brings me to the point that clearly the government does not have the numbers in this place in its own right, which means that chamber management is a shared responsibility of the whole Senate. The government cannot unilaterally dictate the course of events in this place. Clearly, it is a shared responsibility and I think that is an important point for people to take note of. Obviously, it is not always elegant in this place. That is partly a function of the fact— Senator Payne interjecting— Senator Cash interjecting— Senator FIFIELD: Thank you—as are you, Senator Payne and Senator Cash and Senator McKenzie. It is a shared responsibility. Legislating is not a particularly elegant process. Those opposite did not help that any last night. As I said at the start of my remarks, I very much prefer the Senator Wong of today to the Senator Wong of last night. But Senator Wong does need to work out what her line is in relation to this place. She started by saying that the management of this place is chaotic and that the government has wasted time. But then she was saying it is fantastic that 140 bills have passed through this place. Either it is kind of working, or it is not. Senator Wong just needs to refine her lines in relation to the management of this place a little more. I acknowledge that the opposition are giving up their MPI time today. I thank them for that. It is an example of the cooperation and the way that this place can and should work, which we were endeavouring to pursue last night at 7.30, when we had Senator Conroy's special stunt sprung on this place. I might leave it at that and just say to colleagues that I appreciate them supporting the Senate sitting later tonight—as I expect will be the case.